Carl Vinson (CVN 70) - Naval Cruise Book

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-- v . , 1 Following the ORE, CARL VINSON crossed the Atlan- tic for a month of operations in the Mediterranean and a port call in the beautiful principality of Monaco. Then it was back through the Strait of Gibraltar for the transit around Africa to the Indian Ocean. The transit gave the CARL VINSON an opportunity to call upon a couple of ports rarely visited by U.S. warships, Casablanca, Moroc- co and Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The next nineteen weeks were spent in the Indian Ocean with a port visit to P erth, Australia to break it into two manageable parts. The ship and airwings were intimately involved in two major exercises, BEACON FLASH with the government of Oman; VECTOR SOUTH with the government of Soma- lia. Finally proceeding east through the Strait of Malacca, the Vinson made port calls in Subic Bay, Philippines; Hong Kong; Pusan, Korea; Sasebo, Japan; and Honolulu, Hawaii. Tiger cruise participants joined the ship in Honolulu and enjoyed an exciting week aboard the star- ship enroute to our new homeport, NAS Alameda. It was eight months of learning and growing aboard the CARL VINSON on her 1983 Around the World maiden cruise, with memories none of us will ever forget. 11

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After a brief period of final fitting out, the CARL VIN- SON began at-sea training and provided carrier landing qualification services for fleet aircraft squadrons. January 1983 saw AIRWING FIFTEEN joining the CARL VINSON for the pre-cruise work-up process which involved three phases of type training, honor- ing the skills of the ship-airwing combat team. In March the CARL VINSON and AIRWING FIFTEEN departed Norfolk for the Caribbean and the Operational Readi- ness Exam. 10

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EMBARKED AIRCRAFT The aircraft of the CARL VINSON provide the primary offensive and defensive capabilities of the task force. This carrier airwing team provides the most effective and longest ranged power projection and sea control capability at sea to- day. The mix of highly sophisticated aircraft aboard the CARL VINSON provides more striking power than that possessed by all but the largest of the world ' s air forces. Carrier Air Wing 15 is made up of ten squadrons representing eight different types of aircraft. During all overseas deployments and many training cruises in waters near the U.S., the airwing operates from the deck of the CARL VINSON. Whenever the ship is in homeport the squadrons disperse to their respective home air stations throughout the United States. saai; The F-14 TOMCAT is the Navy ' s newest and best fighter inti ceptor. The TOMCAT is a two-seat, twin engine all-weather a craft capable of flying twice the speed of sound. One of the uniq features of the F-14A is its variable-geometry wing which is sw« forward to provide extra lift for takeoff, landing and low spe manuvering, and sweeps aft for less drag during high spe flight. The TOMCATalso features the world ' s longest range figl er-borne radar, capable of tracking and shooting multiple targi simultaneously. To maintain air superiority whenever and whi ever needed, the aircraft utilizes long-range Phoenix, mediu range Sparrow, and short-range Sidewinder missiles as well as t M-61 20mm cannon. An additional capability essential to t airwing is the TARPS photo-reconaissance pod which can be c ried by the F-14A to evaluate targets before and after a stril CVW-15 has two squadrons of F-14As flown by the Screami Eagles of VF-51 and the Sundowners of VF-111, both based Naval Air Station, Miramar, San Diego, California. F-14 A TOMCAT The A-7E CONSAIR II is a single engine jet light attack strike bomber and close support aircraft. The A-7E is flown by one pilot and is capable of carrying Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, air-to-surface missiles, M-61 20mm cannon, and mines as well as a wide range of smart and iron bombs. The aircraft utilizes a sophisticated digital computer for both weapons delivery and navigation. Additionally the A-7E can carry a FLIR (Forward-Looking Infrared-Red) pod offering improved night- capability. CVVV-l 5 has two A-7E squadrons, the Raging Bulls of VA-37 and the Gunslinger of VA-105, both based at Naval Air Station, Cecil Field, Florida. 12 A-7E CORSAIR II